Good Morning,
I was just wondering as I was sitting here...how many of us also feed the birds? I have found being a new gardner, but have fed the birds for years, that there are many more birds in my yard for this time of year. My Cardinals have stayed around all summer (actually 2 pairs), baltimore oreos (sp) have been back for a second year. Also I think that a female pine grosbeak graced my feeder for a few days, which is a first for me. Also, I have noticed alot more butterflys of one species or another have been here also. Anyone have any experiences also?
Candy
This message was edited Saturday, Sep 22nd 6:58 AM
This message was edited Saturday, Sep 22nd 6:59 AM
Birds? Feeders? Gardens?
HI Candy,
we've always fed the birds, but this year is a doozie! We have our resident cardinals, but also woodpeckers for the first time, yellow finches, blue birds, a red bird we haven't identified yet, and doves. We've never had doves, and I was looking this morning, trying to figure out which kind. They're big. The bats are back, and the dragonflies are huge, and there are so many of them! And yesterday morning, there was a very big bird, about 8-10", appeared to be a baby, but I'm not sure, on the ground on my front walk. It was very fluffy, almost furry looking, brown. Didn't get but a quick look, but I hope to see it again. We've decided we must get a book:) This has been a banner year. We changed from regular feed to just sunflower seed because of the weeds, and even the finch and cardinal sit on the feeder together and eat. My DH and I have just been amazed at who all has come this year:)
Good Morning! I have noticed many new birds in my yard this year or should I say quite an expansion of what I normally have ~ Then again, I do a lot of "Bird-scaping" and it seems that the more I do ~ The more birds I get every year~ It's great! ~ I believe I could honestly say that there is not one day that goes by that I don't get to see, hear, And watch a vast array of birds and wildlife in my yard!! ( What a show most put on!! lol! )
We are told only to feed the birds in the winter because that is when food is scarce for them but I must admit I feed them all the year round because I want them in my garden. Once the birds get used to their supplied source of food they will return. I found out that some birds roost quite a long way from the bird table and will fly up to 30 minutes to come back to the source. So I would hate for them to fly all that way and find nothing!! Which means of course, once you start the programme, it has to be continued. Unless someone tells me different of course :-) I have noticed that there is an unusually large presence of birds this year also.
Hi Iris and Louisa,
This is the first summer that I have fed the birds, I usually stop when the spring comes. I have to say I have had a large variety that I dont generally have. I love the grosbeaks in the winter, and my favorite is the cardinals. I was thinking about the life lists from the audobon society (I think that is where it is), and start marking down the ones that come to the feeder, and all the new ones. Thanks for the reply :)
Candy
Candy I am new to American wild life and trying to identify everything I see. Kathleen pointed me to a great site and I will look it up and post it (if I can find it)!
Candy and Louisa, If you want info from the Audubon Society just call or write: National Audobon Society, 700 Broadway,New York, NY 10003 ~ telephone no.(212-832-3200 )
I have always fed birds year-round _ If you dont put out food in the summer months, Most birds will just go to your niehbors and eat ~ I love to watch all the parent birds taking there chicks to the feeders and feeding them Sunflower seed and different foods that I put out ...I like filming them ... Have either of you had many hummingbirds this year? I notice there has been a decline in raptors.
I have 2 books that are great for info on birds identification, habitat for them and feeding them ~ One is: National Audobon Society " North American Birdfeeder Handbook"
The other is: "The Backyard Birdwatcher" by George H. Harrison ~ They are both really good books if your ever intereted in reading up on birds.
Iris thanks so much. Yes, I'm nuts about birds and will buy those books you mentioned. I'm pretty hooked on all wild life really :-)
Louisa ~ Your Quite Welcome! ... I'm hooked on wildlife also! I even go owling ~ Have you ever gone? I have some pics of a few birds and wildlife in this forum if you care to check them out~ They should be on the next page in this widlife forum ~ I believe it's under " Variety"
If you ever want to chat back and forth about nature adventures, Just let me know because it's something that I am really into.
Me too Iris - we can chat whenever you like :-) I am a real softie when it comes to wild life and I can cry at the drop of a hat when I see an animal suffer, especially the deer on the highways and other creatures that are destroyed this way. I know it's a way of life but I still hate it!
I guess you could say I'm kinda soft too when it comes to animals ~ I can't take it well when I see animals hurt either! ... And I definately detest hunting!! If you feel like chatting sometime, Just e-mail me .
OK Iris - will do :-)
Good :-) ~ I enjoy talking with people who appreciate nature!
Thank you for the information Iris, I have never been owling, that sounds like fun. I have a few books on backyard bird feeding, and Peterson's field guide, and birds on North America. But I dont have the Audobon Book yet, I will have to get that one too. Again, thanks for the info.
Candy
Candy, Your quite welcome ~ If you get the book by Audobon you will really like it , It has some geat info and excellent pictures!
Owling is a lot of fun ~ I've have gotten to see many ~ I have even had some nest in the owl boxes that I have out in my yard
I wonder if I can be classed under the title of the 'neurotic bird watcher'. I refer to an incident back in England when blue tits made their nest in one of our boxes. We never knew quite where to site the boxes because my cats were outdoor cats then. I needed to place the boxes where I could keep my eye on them and the only place was on the side of our garden shed. Yes, the cats climbed on top of the shed but couldn't scale the wall of the shed. So when the babies came and started to test their flying power, they wouldn't go far to start with, just round the corner to the trellis on the pergola and they would sit there a while before flying back to the nesting box. I was really concerned at this point, because my cats could easily have got to them. Whilst this was going on I kept the cats in as much as I dared but when they were outside I would take a flask of tea, a sandwich or two and a book and plonk myself down in a chair close to the box just so I could be on hand if the unmentionable were to happen. I spent many an hour on guard as it were and in the meantime the laundry piled up and the housework took a back seat. I was very relieved when the blue tits finally flew away because I must have spent hours just sitting and watching. Was that the end of it? No, of course not! There was a repeat performance every year!!!
Hi Sis! I guess you are an early riser! ~ 4 oclock is pretty early! I wish you all the best with your dog, I hope the acupuncture works out well for him!
I put out nesting material for the birds also ~ I just use a piece of metal mesh and put pieces of yarn through it and hang it on a tree. It must have been so funny watching the raven with the sweepea! lol! Too bad you didn't have a pic of it.
I have birdbath heaters too, I more or less got them to keep open water for the fish in my watergarden ~ I have a stream that runs through my yard and it pretty much flows most of the winter, So, It really helps the birds
I have just 1 cherry tree here ...Its a sand cherry and the cardinals love it! I want to get a couple more cherry trees this fall ~ I have a lot of viburnums and elderberries that the birds go crazy over! Ive tried Holly b4 too and like you , I didn't have much luck, But, This year I put some in a different spot, And so far they have been doing good!
We enjoy the hummingbirds here too~ Got a few pics to share if you care to see them ~ Just click on the link -> http://community.webtv.net/irislynx/PICS
Well, Nice reading the posts, Hope to see more ~ Take Care, Iris
Yup Louisa, I think neurotic birdwatcher fits!!! LOL !!! ... But, Then again, I think it fits most of us on here! Now you will have to give up time every year to watch over your little friends~ But, It's always well worth it no? ~ Sometimes we all don't take the breaks in life that we should ~ It's amazing when you think about how Gods little creatures can get us to do just that!
Iris I don't think I will be doing this every year, since now I am in the US I don't allow the cats to go outside! Being neurotic again.!!
There you Louisa, That leaves you time for many other enjoyable things!
Yes, watching the wild life without throwing a fit...lol!
Good evening Candy,
I, too, have been feeding birds for several years now. I am still learning about different bird species, bird songs and their habits. I also like to learn about squirrels, chipmunks, butterflies, bumblebees,......
I work in the garden and am very often sitting back to observe any wild life that is nearby. I feel laid back when I am in the yard and take my time doing yardwork so that I can spend time with nature.
I also like to discuss my findings and observations with others.
Kevin
This message was edited Thursday, Sep 20th 7:27 PM
Hey, Another Nature Lover! That's great !!! Tell us about your findings and observations sometime Kevin , I'm sure all would like to know, I know I would anyway LOL !
Well Iris it will have to be in more than one post because I need to remember past ones and I am always finding something new. Right now I am in between coming home and going out again so I will have to tell you things later. I just wanted to let you know that I read your response. Bye for now, or as they say down under, G'Day mate! Kevin
LOL! I know what you mean Kevin, So many past experiences, So many new ones! Just when you think of a really good one , so many more start coming to mind! Thats ok ~
I can wait LOL! ... Thanks for responding to the post!
Bye4Now, Iris
Good Morning Everyone!
Sorry for the delayed response! I am more of a lurker than I contribute :) (plus I did not see this right away!).
Iris, I found that book you were telling me about at a garage sale, said to my husband this is the book that Iris was telling me about on DG! It is wonderful.
This summer I was sitting out back, and I kept hearing this bird, without fail, EVERY time I heard it I said..."What bird is that??" (I think my family was getting tired of hearing me say that LOL). We went garage saleing,(sp), and I heard it again, and again I said what bird is that?????! The fellow who was running the garage sale said its a Pileated Wood Pecker. I was thrilled I finally found out! But just to make sure I went to this page http://www.enature.com/ looked it up and sure enough it was him. I enjoy that part of bird watching. My step son likes to feed the birds with me and identify them too.
http://www.enature.com/audio/audio_home.asp
Well I guess this is long enough! Have a great day everyone!
Candy
This message was edited Saturday, Sep 22nd 6:59 AM
Hi Iris,
I will start with the other day when I went out the back and started going down the back steps, (about 3-4 steps), I went down 2 when I noticed that there was long thin tail sticking from the bottom step. I stopped and leaned forward to look down at it. Sure enough it was a chipmunk. It looked up at me and for several seconds we were just looking at each other eye to eye. Finally it scurried under an item that was leaning against the side of the steps and peeked out to look at me again. It was cute watching it do that!
I am on my way out again so bye for now,
Kevin
(I know what you are thinking but the weekends are busy doing things that cannot be done during the week.)
Okay, I am back. I have a window feeder that has house finches at it all the time plus other birds that do not come as often. I see the young finches coming to the feeder and juggling over who has dominance, or first dibs over the seeds. There are plenty of seeds and I keep the feeder filled but the birds seem to think that if they do not keep others from eating the seeds that the seeds will run out. LOL It is funny to watch them, it is always different.
Sometimes there is a finch in the feeder that is going back and forth from end to end chasing away any other finches who even land on the feeder. I might see another one that flies back and forth from end to end while the one in the feeder runs back and forth chasing the second one away. Other times there might be one eating in the feeder and yu do not see it do anything until another finch tries to get a seed. And then there are the ones that take a seed and fly to the nearby tree before the one in the feeder can chase it away! These 'games' go on and on and I could go on and on but there are too many to list.
Then there are the cardinals that land on this feeder -- I will tell you about them next time.
Well I have said enough here so so long for now, kevin
This message was edited Saturday, Sep 22nd 2:42 PM
Candy, I'm glad to hear that you found the book at a yard sale ( best place to buy one ! LOL) The birds in the 'woodpecker' family are pretty vocal and do make really neat calls, I can usually tell which kind is around just by the sound that it makes.
Kevin, I enjoyed your stories!! Keep them coming ( When you have time ) Chipmuncks ARE so cute
!! I have a family of them that are always playing in a rock pile on the side of the house, One of them is so use to seein me that he doesn't even try to hide much as I go by to do yard work
I know what you mean the finches, They DO seem to squabble alot over the're food LOL ! Do you have the window feeder that has the two-way film on it? ( the kind that lets 'you' see the birds, but , the birds can't see you )
Well, Looking forward to hearing about the carinals ( another beautifull bird! ) And I'll get back to you then, Bye4Now, Iris
We love feeding the birds. We have Hairy, Downey and Red Bellied Woodpeckers, Black Cap Chickadees, Cardinals, Blue Jays, Gold Finches, Tufted Titmice, and Eastern Towhee (in the winter).
We have two feeders in the backyard that we keep filled with Black Oil Sunflower Seed.
My favorite bird is the Blue Jay; I just love the color and their characteristics. It is fun to put peanuts (in shell) out for them. They will pick up 2 or 3 trying to decide which one has the best take.
No, Iris, the feeder does not have that film on it. I used to have one like that but it wore out and
I did not get another one because I wanted to see the birds better. Besides, I chase the mourning doves off of it since it is a window feeder and I am afraid that they are too heavy -- plus the fact that they eat all the seeds and do not leave any for the others.
The cardinals are one of the others that come to window feeder. I used to watch them go to the ground below the feeder and finally, (after a few years), they now come to the feeder. At first they were new to the territory but now sometimes they chase the other birds away, except for the doves. It is interesting to watch the cardinals eat. They do not eat as much as the doves. The doves just gobble up everything in sight.
I also get chickadees and titmouse to the feeder. They are also fun to watch. They take one seed, go to a branch to eat it and come back for another one. I cannot figure out why they sometimes take only one seed and do not come back.
I remember last year when I was sitting on the steps to the front porch there was a chipmunk, (I do not know if it was always the same one), that would come up to the steps and stop. I would not move a muscle and after the chipmunk waited for a bit it would run up the steps right past my side!
Well it is raining out today but sometime today I should go fill the feeders outside. They have been empty for a couple of days now. That is why I like the window feeder. I can fill it when it is snowing out. Bye for now, Kevin
gardenhubby, I get the Downy, hairied, And Red-bellied too, Also the northern flicker and the yellow -bellied sap sucker amongst all the others ... In the winter, I hang out a lot of beef-suet and I get a lot of woodpeckers! In summer, It's the suet-cakes, which doesn't seem to attract them as much ~ I have about 1o feeders out and I birdscaped a lot of my yard, So I do get quite a bit of birds, It seems the more I 'birdscape' the more birds I get!
I like the bluejays too, But, I'd have to say that my favorite birds to watch are the ravens ~ I put out a platform feeder just for them ~ I put all my kitchen scraps in it and they allways come and clean it out, I am in total awe of the're intellegence!! They never cease to amaze me.
Kevin, Doves like the little seeds, millet and such, If you put just sun-flower seeds out there, You wouldn't have a problem with the doves at your window feeder and most songbirds love sunflower seeds
I know what you mean about watching the antic's of the different birds ... I don't have a window feeder, But the outside feeders are not far from my windows and I have a outside bird intercom system that transmits all the sound at the feeders to the inside of my house ... I also have made a garden bed with a bench in it thats only about 7 ft away from my 4-station bird feeder ~ I usually sit there in the morning with a coffee and enjoy all the activity ... The bench is partially hidden by overhanging trees so the birds at the feeders aren't too skittsy because they can't see me too good, But, when I first go over there to sit down, A lot of them will fly into the trees that are right around me to check me out and then after about 10 minutes , They feel safe again and resume eating.
Many times when they take seeds and take off, It's because they are staching the seeds away, On the way back to the feeders, There are bugs to eat ( At this time , there are a lot of catapilliars around ) And at other times it's just like a part of nature for them to do that, And it seems so odd , Anyways, I'm going to make sure that my feeders stay full as it is migration time for different birds and I'm hoping to see differnt kinds passing through ~ I have actually had a young eagle here once ~ What an AWSOME site that was !!!! I'm also hoping to attract some ceder waxwings or evening grossbeaks, Two species that I rarely ever see go through here, But, I'm hopng one of these times I will!
In the winter, I wish I had window feeders like yours! LOL! ... I allways have to go shovel paths to all the feeders, So I can fill them easily and clean them off when we have a heavy snow .... There is nothing quite like filling cold clangy feeders when it's 10 degrees outside ~ But, then again, The birds look so pretty and really stand out in the snow, especially the cardinals!!
I had a special visitor to the yard a few days ago that I haven't had in quite a while ... Good ole skunk, It was so cute, I got a few good pic's of him, I'll have to post it sometime
Kevin, Do you ever put fruits and nuts out for the birds? ... It attracts quite a variety of birds ~ The catbird thats around here loves raisins! LOL! Well, I'm off to sleep for a while, Got to get up in a few hrs and enjoy the outside ~ Bye4Now
Maybe the doves do not eat sunflowers in your area Iris, but those are what I used to have on my window feeder and the doves gobbled them up like anything else. The doves eat up all the seeds dropped at the feeder that I fill with wild bird mix, (millet, sunflower,......), so I tried the safflower because I had heard that the squirrels did not eat them and I hoped that the doves did not eat safflower either. I have not checked the safflower with the squirrels yet but now I know that the doves eat them. Oh, well, I have to find something else. I know that the doves do not go to a feeder that they cannot get a grip on. Whenever I fill the tray feeder that I put out for them they come to the window feeder which is harder for them to land on. Go figure.
I love watching the squirrels and trying to stay one step ahead of them. It is a game that we play. What I do not like is when they eat up all the seeds that I put out for the birds. I have an open feeder tray that I put out for them. Unfortunately when one is in it, that squirrel takes posession of the tray and does not let any other squirrels eat out of it.
The closest that I have come to an eagle is a red-tailed hawk that has landed by my back hedge every year so far. The house sparrows that usually make so much noise are quieter than a mouse when the hawk is around.
I have put out raisins and I wondered who ate them -- the catbird or the flicker. I put out a bundle of grapes once but I did not see who ate them either.
Well TA-TA, Toodle-loo and all that jazz for now. Kevin
Hi Kevin, Maybe I was wrong about the 'sunflower seed', But, I really didn't think doves would eat them ( Ya just never know I guess ) Maybe you could make a barrier around your window feeder with that kind of caging that lets the little song birds in but keeps the bigger sized birds out
It's hard to stay ahead of the squirrels! I know of no one yet who has successfully out-smarted them when it comes to food ...They always seem to find a way to get at it! They can really chow down too huh?! I DO enjoy watching them tho.
I use to get quite a bit of red-tailed hawks diving down for birds at the feeders, But, Haven't seen many doing that lately ( Or maybe I'm just not watching at the right times ) I usually always put some fruit and such out there, Most times I see who takes it, But, Sometimes I dont, Today, It was a red-bellied woodpecker who's been around quite a bit lately!
I was very surprised to see Bluebirds today ~ There were 4 of them that came together, They were all eating the berries from the viburnum bush.
Well, I gotta catch some zzz's .. Talk to ya next time and I hope you have a great day today~
......C-Ya, Iris
Hi Iris , I got curious why you almost always say you need to catch some zzz's. I was surprised when I looked at the time that you are online. Do you have a late hour job?
That is a good idea about the cage around the feeder. I just have to make the holes large enough for the cardinal to fit through. I like to see it at the window feeder.
I know that I can never 'beat' the squirrels but I like to keep changing things so that I can stay a step ahead of them. It is fun to watch them figure out the new routine. I try to never keep it the same for too long.
Bye for now, Kevin
Kevin, I sleep very little, So when I say I gotta catch some zzz's , It's at that time that I REALLY need sleep !! LOL !
I'm glad you liked the " cage" idea, I think it would work well for you .
I want to make a closed in all around cage like that, /that I can walk into a and fill the feeders, I would have the feeders hanging from the top of the cage and have a birdbath in there too, That way , I'll have at least one area where the larger birds and squirrels and cats and such can't get at the birds or the seeds !! ... A project for spring I think!
It must be kinda neat to watch the squirrels trying different antics when you change things LOL! Well, Gotta go check a few things out in the other forum ... C-ya in a bit! Iris
Gee, Iris, I wish that I had thought of that, I would like to do that to. One thing that always made me figure those little cages did not do any good was that squirrels could still reach in and get the seeds.
Yes. It is fun watching the squirrels try to figure it out. I watch them until they have, or almost have, figured it out and then I change it on them and they have to start again.
What other forum? I am in 2 other ones. Maybe we have talked in one of them.
Bye for now, Kevin
Hi Kevin, If you get the type of caging wire that the songbirds can fit in, But the squirrel's can't, They won't be able to reach any seed, I hope that's what you were referring to when you mentionned about them still being able to get seed.
I have a particular squirrel that likes to jump from the tree to the feeder station ... It's quite a distance for him to jump and the bar theat holds the feeders are thin ~ Sometimes he makes it and sometimes he doesn't!! It is the funniest thing to watch !!! LOL! I have him on vidieo tape doing that and I have to laugh every time I see it !!! I should send it to that show " America's Funniest Animals" ~ Do you ever watch that show?
I mostly go to the Gardening forums like: Photo's, Plant-trading, water gardening,ect. .... How about you? Which two are you in?
I'm going to " Mail Call right now and see if anyone got one of my shipments yet, C-ya in a bit!
Hi Iris. I have been away from my PC since about the time that you posted your last message.
Yep. Squirrels can jump about 12-13 feet across and 5-6 feet straight up without a running start. I just found out that a squirrel had climbed up the poles to the sparrow houses and killed a bird, :-(, and chewed the wood on the holes. I knew that they ate eggs but I did not think that they were the ones that got the birds.
I have seen "Americas Funniest Animals". I agree about sending that tape in. I thought that there was a show about animal tapes where people won prizes?
Well I have only read one fourm in DG but I found other forums online that I go to. Bye for now, Kevin
Hi! Glad your back LOL! .... It's too bad about the squirrel getting the birds.... I put copper or mesh around the entrance holes of most of my nestboxes ....It helps
keep the squirrels from chewing through and getting the eggs or birds, Tho sometimes they manage to still chew through a part of it ...I don't know how! It's migrating time for the next 3 weeks ...Have you seen any new birds lately? I've been seeing a lot of bird activity around my place lately!! .... Well, I'm going searching for a while ...Be back later, Bye4Now, Iris